Cats for Dummies (For Dummies Series)

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Forget ancient Egypt, where the cat was honored as a god. The Golden Age of the Cat is now. More is written about cats, shared online about cats, and said about cats today than in all the generations before. Cats are the subject of musicals and movies, of research into their diseases, and of business reports that tally the billions of dollars spent worldwide to keep them healthy, clean, and amused. In the technology-heavy and time-short societies of developed countries, more people are discovering what poets, artists, and cat worshippers have known all along: Cats are much more than dog lite, they are cats: affectionate, beautiful, companions in their own right. Cars: Cats can be hit, of course, but cars also present a danger even when parked. Heat-loving kitties crawl up into the warm engine and can be seriously injured — or killed — if someone starts the car again while the cat is still there.

Unquestionably, cats are easy-keepers. But anyone who adopts a cat thinking that cats are like houseplants, just more furry, is in for a big surprise. Kittens and cats seek and need attention and affection. They also need both preventive and routine care for any number of common ailments. Behavior problems such as litter-box avoidance are more common than most people think. To care for your cat well, you need a few basic supplies, a high-quality diet, and a veterinarian you know well enough to ask the questions you need answers to if problems arise, and who can help you establish a preventive-care plan to catch and prevent disease. She has also edited books, managed teams of journalists and provided marketing expertise for both established companies and start-ups. She has been a frequent contributor to many top publications and media platforms, and her work is read by millions every week. Her books have been translated into many languages, including French, Serbian, Danish, Japanese, Spanish, Korean and Russian. You see, while Schrödinger found such possibilities true for single particles, they would not be possible on larger objects, like cats.

Second, many of us have little time or money for a pet — but a greater need for companionship than ever before. As children, we need someone to listen to us. As young adults, we delay starting a family — or choose never to start one at all, choosing pets to be family instead. In our middle years, we’re nearly pulled apart by the demands of job and family. Our older years may be more active than ever before but can also be lonely, spent far from our children. Prior to Lowe’s brainstorm, cats either went outside to relieve themselves — as many still do, to the unhappiness of many a neighboring gardener — or went in boxes filled with sand, soil, or sawdust, none of them a very practical solution for easy clean-up and smell control.

Even people who profess to dislike cats can’t look at a kitten like the one in Figure 2-1 without saying awwwwwww. Baby animals are all adorable, but kittens seem to have something special going for them. Maybe it’s those large eyes, following every movement intently. The oversized ears, twitching to and fro. The playfulness, chasing and pouncing on everything that moves, be it your fingertip or a piece of kibble batted across the linoleum. The tousled fur a kitten can’t quite seem to groom into the sleekness every adult cat considers her duty to maintain. A kitten is all these things — and more. Although cats do need care, they are still low maintenance compared to a lot of other pets. Cats are wonderful pets for people who work, people who travel, and people who just want the easygoing companionship a cat can provide. Your cat always keeps up his end of the bargain — make sure that you keep up yours. A happy, healthy cat and a happy cat owner: We ask for no greater legacy for our work. About This Book But, while the cat is in the box, it is both dead ANDalive simultaneously ( Copenhagen Interpretation). You don’t know what you can’t observe.Adult cats offer some compelling advantages and few disadvantages — the most serious disadvantage being simply that they aren’t as baby cute as kittens!

The possible disadvantage of adopting an adult cat is that you may be choosing a pet with behavioral problems — not using a litter box, for example. A good shelter, rescue group, or breeder practices full disclosure of any known health or behavior problems with the animals up for rehoming. Remember, however, that many animals are given up for behavior problems that can be resolved or aren’t their fault — such as the cat who’s looking at a filthy litter box every day and decides to do his business elsewhere. Kitty Litter made Lowe, who died in 1995, a millionaire many times over. The name of Kaye Draper’s cat somehow escaped being recorded for posterity. We think a little credit is due to him (or her), too. If you want to finally understand Schrödinger’s Cat Experiment once and for all, then you’re in the right place. I suppose since I am going to be a cat owner on Friday, I should learn something about them. This is going to be an adventure :)

Even as cats reign supreme near the top of the pet popularity charts, a lot of people still harbor misconceptions about them. Many of these people would probably enjoy having a cat in their lives if they’d only open their minds and their hearts.